


With Enough Belief

by KyeAbove



Series: The Reinforcement Of Agony AU [44]
Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-22 00:44:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15570000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KyeAbove/pseuds/KyeAbove
Summary: March 27th, 1934. Cade Vale, New York. Agony:ConsumingJoey practices a speech, and puts a scheme into play.





	With Enough Belief

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first (posted) transitional story for Joey being 'sad but good' to what he later becomes.

~March 27th, 1934~

* * *

Joey preferred practicing his speeches, first alone, and then speaking over a tape recorder so he could listen later for anything that didn’t sound right, before saying it to the masses. It made him come off as so much more than he really was. But god, it was all crap! He’d fire Abby as his speech writer if people didn’t eat this trash up like cake.

Casper was there in his office too, pretending to read a book he’d brought along. Joey might have actually believed that if the book wasn’t upside down. Casper was waiting for him to speak, listen in even if he tried to act like he wasn’t, and Joey wasn’t going to disappoint. It was all going according to plan. 

Joey prepared to do that falsely cheerful voice he’d perfected when he’d been peddling alcohol alongside Henry in the careless days before the studio. It had worked to divert the raids, and it always worked on idiots. 

He turned the tape recorder on, and started speaking. 

“There's nothing wrong with dreaming. Wishing for the impossible is just human nature. That's how I got it started. Just a pencil and a dream.” Or, getting drunk at a speakeasy and being taken home by a exasperated man he’d later hire as his projectionist, and waking up hungover using Henry as a pillow. Later, using ill-gotten money to buy a long sitting building because Henry thought it’d be perfect for something he’d been tossing around since Joey first met him. 

A pencil and a dream? Such a short phrase and a total lie. 

Casper must have found it funny too, because he snorted, lightly. If Joey asked him, he’d likely claim it was from a line in his book. That would be a lie if it was spoken. 

“We all want everything without even having to lift a finger.” To be loved, and respected, and was this Abby’s way of tell him he didn’t try hard enough? He’d hated that line ever since he laid eyes on it. “They say you just have to believe. Belief can make you succeed. Belief can make you rich. Belief can make you powerful.” 

And had it? Did people actually believe anything at all? Or were they all lying to themselves? Was it the liars or the honest who would be taken in?

Knowing this would be the damning line, Joey trained his eyes on Casper, away from the paper in his hands “Why with enough belief, you can even cheat death itself.” Casper stiffened, and Joey knew for sure now Casper was only pretending not to listen. Joey had Casper’s full attention, even though his eyes never left his book. “Now that..” Joey let out an airy laugh. “Is a beautiful, and positively silly thought."

Joey turned the tape recorder off, and when he looked up Casper was already there in his face. Casper looked hopeful, but there was a darker edge to that hope.

“So, cheat death? Must take a lot of belief.” 

With Casper’s words, Joey had a partner in all he had planned. 


End file.
